explaining, and Father John began to be impatient.

"What cow, Denis? How did the mother's making a mistake about the cow
prevent your marrying her daughter?"

"Why, yer riverence, then, if you'll let me, I'll jist explain the
matter. Ould Betsy Cane--that's her mother you know--promised me the
brown cow, yer riverence may know, as is in the little garden behint
the cabin, for her dater's fortin; and says I to her, 'Well, may be
she may be worth four pound tin, Mrs. Cane.' 'Four pound tin,' says
she, 'Mr. McGovery; and you to know no better than that, and she to
calve before Christmas! well then, four pound tin indeed,'--jist in
that manner, yer riverence. Well then I looks at the cow, and she
seemed a purty sort of a cow, and I agreed to the bargain, yer honer,
purviding the cow turned out to be with calf. Well, yer honer, now
it's no such thing, but it's sticking me she was entirely about, the
cow: so now she got the cow and her daughter both at home; and likely
to for me."

"And so, Denis, you broke your promise, and refused to marry the girl
you were engaged to, because a cow was not in calf?"

"No I didn't, yer honer; that is, I did refuse to marry the girl; why
wouldn't I? But I didn't break my promise, becase I only promised,
purviding--; and you see, Father John, they was only decaving me."

"Well, Denis; and who is it after all that you are going to have?"

"Well, then, it's jist Mary Brady."

"What! Pat Brady's sister is it?"

"Iss, yer honer."

"And is her cow really in the family way?"

"Now yer riverence 'll make a handle of that agin me!"

"Never mind, Denis, how I handle the cow, so long as you handle the
calf; but has Mary a cow?"

"No, Father John, she aint got a cow then, as I knows on."

"Well, Denis, and what fortune are you to get? You are not the man
would take a wife unless she brought something with her."

"Well then, it's only jist a pair of young pigs and a small thrifle
of change."

"A trifle of change, eh! Then, Mr. McGovery, I take it, it wasn't
only along of the mistake about a cow that you left poor Betsy Cane,
but you found you could do better, I suppose."

"Well then, it might be jist a little of both; but you see, Father
John, they war the first to decave me."

"Well, Denis, and when's the wedding to be?"

"Oh--then, to-morrow evening, if yer riverence plazes."

"What! so soon, Denis? Take care; perhaps after all Betsy Cane's cow
may calve; see; would you be too